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Helicopters

Sea King Helicopter

This 1/48 scale helicopter was modeled after the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King that began production in 1961. The 7590 helicopter was introduced in the mid-'70s and sold individually on a blister card as the U.S. Army Rescue Copter. They were also included in the Action Army Sets. It included five main rotor blades and a smaller five blade vertical tail rotor. The five main rotors could be removed from the rotor head, which in turn could be removed from the fuselage. The tail rotor could also be removed. The set of wheels were stationary. A white star, 55239326 serial number and American flag sticker were applied prior to packaging. During the early years of production they were cast in a soft plastic while later versions were cast in hard plastic and included an American flag sticker, along with typical white star and serial number stickers. Later production runs would include an open door. Production ceased in the late '80s.

Sea King (closed door)

Sea King (open door)

Blister card (c. 1985)

The #7590 was also offered as a Marine helicopter (#3350) and included a clear plastic nose, cockpit with two seated pilots, color matching main rotor blades, free rolling wheels, chrome air intakes, rear rotor blades and a USAF aircraft insignia sticker. The same configuration was used for the #3350 Traffic Copter (white plastic/ red cockpit) and two Navy helicopters with alternating red and blue configurations or solid red. Another red variation was the #398 Rescue & Combat Turbo Copter that included a small space capsule and astronaut.

Modeled after the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse Helicopter, the #6350-H was introduced in 1990. They were sold individually or as part of the #7340 Army Command Playset. It had rotating main and rear rotors, a glass front with detailed cockpit and rolled on four sets of wheels. The same mold was used to produce a TV news, fire rescue and a police helicopters.

Modeled after the Army/Air Force Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (S-55) that entered service in 1950, the #329 was part of the U.S. Air Combat Force bagged set from the '60s that included 2 very small jet planes, 11 airmen, an American flag with holder and a tent. It was also included in the Jet Fighter and Air Rescue Set as well as being sold individually in an open display box. Features included three main rotor blades that could be folded up, three clip-on wheels and a USAF aircraft insignia sticker. Some versions had two open side windows. Although it was released as an Air Force helicopter, It has been included it on this blog because this particular version was molded in the common army green plastic. Other color configurations included a red hull with aqua green rotors and yellow wheels, an aqua green hull with red rotors and wheels and a yellow hull with red rotors and wheels.

Chickasaw helicopter

Aqua green Chickasaw (open window version)

Red Chickasaw (open window version)

Yellow #329 in open display box

A variant of the of the Chickasaw was also produced called the Shuttle Service helicopter. The landing gear was replaced with 2 skids that were attached underneath the chassis using pegs. The front/rear rotor blades and rotor head were replaced with slightly smaller versions of the more familiar ones found on the Sea King helicopter. The rotor head and rear blades were cast in plastic chrome. This variant was sold in an open display box, a blister card and in the #1681 U.S. Air Force bagged set.

3 comments:

A company called Gay Toys made very similar helicopters and aircraft at around the same time as Timmee (60s and 70s). Sometimes they look identical to Processed Plastics/Timmee except that their aircraft tend to have peg-hole pilots in the cockpits. Do you know anything about this rival company?